


Family Portrait

by Cathy_Heart



Category: British Actor RPF
Genre: Children, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family, Painting, Pregnancy, daddy!Richard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-26
Updated: 2014-01-26
Packaged: 2018-01-10 04:13:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1154744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cathy_Heart/pseuds/Cathy_Heart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Since she's not feeling very well, she decides to go home earlier that day, only to find out her children aren't exactly in bed getting better from their flu and her husband is a knowing accomplice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Family Portrait

She decided to go home early that day. She wasn’t feeling very well and she certainly didn’t want to get sick around the animals. Wouldn’t make her a very good biologist.

 

She took her phone off her purse to listen to some music in the tube and couldn’t help but smile warmly when she unlocked it... There were the three loves of her life: her beautiful husband and their amazing children. In this particular photo, Richard was holding a child under each arm like a sac... They loved it when their father did it, especially if he started them spinning them like in a merry-go-round.

 

Her little princess Emma, who had come into this world a bit earlier than predicted five years ago. She remembered when she’d gotten into labour while Richard wasn’t home and she’d cried her contractions into the phone until his car pulled up in front of their house.

 

He’d been every bit the shaky, panicked father, almost passing out in the delivery room when he saw the little bloodied bundle come out from between his wife’s legs. But he’d risen to the occasion, cutting the cord and touching his daughter’s face reverently when she was brought in by the nurse, making every possible question to make sure the baby was perfectly fine and healthy.

 

“She has your eyes.” Was the first thing he’d told his wife as a few tears gathered on his eyes. Then, he’d watched mesmerized as the tiny baby girl suckled, satisfied gurgles being heard in the room, before settling for a relaxing nap on her mother’s arms.

 

While Emma had been a quiet, almost shy baby inside her womb, her little Lucas had been the complete opposite. He kicked and moved around every chance he got, so it was no surprise that when the time came, she wanted her boy out as soon as possible, if not only to relieve the pressure on her bladder. But even then, Lucas was already stubborn and he stayed in his comfortable nest until the last possible minute.

 

But when her boy came, two years after his sister, he came out tough, bellowing his displeasure with loud crying. Richard had found it a good sign, meaning his son was strong since birth. He quickly changed his mind when said crying wouldn’t let him sleep at night, she remembered with a chuckle.

 

From very early on, it was clear Lucas would look more like her husband: he was every bit his father, with the same clear, bright eyes, dark hair and even the big nose, to Richard’s great displeasure. The only thing he got from his mother was the slightly darker skin.

 

She loved both of her children so much she had no words for it. They were her rock and her support, along with loving, caring, adorable Richard, who took their antics like no one. In fact, he was the one home with them now. Their children had been sick with flu for a few days, and since her husband had only small projects going on at the moment, he’d offered to stay home with them.

 

He was probably trying to get them to watch the Hobbit, even though they were still too young to understand it. The fact that their dad was on screen didn’t help much either. Emma couldn’t perceive how daddy had shrunk so much only for a few months.

 

“Is everyone home and in one piece?” She asked as she opened the door, only to be greeted by their loving Great Dane _Sherlock_ , who had a splotch of red paint on his torso.

 

“Mommy, mommy, we’re painting you a portrait!” Emma came out into the hallway holding a dangerous bright green paintbrush. The girl in pigtails got a hold of her mother’s wrist. “Come see, come see!”

 

She was dragged into the living room to see a picture she never thought she’d ever see. Emma did say they were painting, she only forgot to mention they were using Richard as a canvas.

 

“Oh my God!” She cried out. Her husband was lying on a blanket on the floor, wearing nothing but shorts, and completely covered in the most variety of colours imaginable. There was a yellow sun drawn on his tummy around his bellybutton, red flowers painted on his chest and his arms were filled with a miscellany of dots and stripes in various tones. Not even his nails had escaped, done in bright pink, no doubt Emma’s handiwork.

 

Lucas wasn’t so detailed. The three year-old was having the time of his life doing nothing but filling his father’s legs with his handprints, also in lots of colours.

 

“Love, save me! They’re little devils!” Richard pleaded, at the same time his daughter added a lovely purple butterfly to her painting. She couldn’t help the fit of laughter that assaulted her and she had to kneel down on the blanket to catch her breath as she giggled uncontrollably.

 

“I’m glad to see you’re amused, sweetie.” Her husband pointed out.

 

“I’m so sorry, it’s just that...” She lost it all over again. “... you look absolutely adorable and delectable and I just have to take a picture.” She replied, fishing around her purse for her phone.

 

He wrinkled his nose – his gorgeous, adorable nose – but laid still nevertheless and allowed his wife to record the moment for prosperity. She crouched near him. “Don’t worry, I’ll help you wash all of that off later.” She whispered in his ear.

 

He furrowed his brows. “You’ll help me wash... oh!... Oh!” He finally caught on and she giggled. How adorable was he still as a fully grown man. His frown turned into a knowing smile and he cupped his wife’s face between his colourful hands to bestow a gentle kiss upon her sweet lips. “Welcome home, my love.”

 

The children complained in annoyance at their parents’ demonstration of love, like all kids their age. Lucas even added a loud ‘Ew!’ to his thrown out tongue. Richard sat up next to his wife, the hairs on his body all matted and sticking together due to the paint.

 

Suddenly, a light seemed to go off in his head. “I have an idea. Why don’t we paint mommy as well?” He suggested, his hands itching for them hem of her shirt. Emma and Lucas cried happily, eager for a new and cleaner canvas, retrieving their pallets and brushes.

 

“No!” She cried out, maybe a bit too loud because her family stared at her and little Lucas almost looked guilty, which made her heart wrench. “You can’t paint on mommy now...” She told them sympathetically, pulling her son to her lap. “Actually, you can’t paint on mommy for the next nine months.” She finished, biting her lip and stealing a glance at her husband.

 

His chin dropped. Was she actually suggesting... “Do you mean...” He blabbered, refraining from holding their daughter as not to fill her with paint. “Are you...” He tried again, not with much success.

 

She smiled and felt a pleasant warmth spread throughout her. “Yes.” She confessed. “I know we hadn’t talked about it, but I...” She didn’t get to finish her thought, because her husband cradled her head in his hands and kissed as passionately as possible with their son nestled between them.

 

“That’s wonderful news, love.” He replied, almost tearing up. Another child! It was all he could ever ask for. “I love you so much and I’m so blessed to have you.” He could never, ever thank her enough for giving him the family he always wanted to have.

 

She chuckled at his endearment at the same time Emma pulled on the hem of her shirt. “Mommy, I don’t understand. What’s going on?” She asked in all child-like innocence whilst Lucas had turned to dozing off on his mother’s lap.

 

Richard smiled broadly. “Mommy was just telling me how in a few months you and Lucas will have a new sibling to play with.” He announced, kissing his daughter’s hair. “He’s growing inside mommy’s belly. Isn’t it great?” He tried to explain, given that Emma was already coming to an age when she’d start to notice that sort of things.

 

The little girl looked clueless for a few moments, absolutely convinced her dad wasn’t being truthful, before replying. “Why can’t he be outside like me and Lucas?”

 

“He’s too small to be outside, sweetheart.” Her mother answered, gently petting her hair. “When he’s strong enough, he’ll come outside and you’ll be able to meet him, don’t worry.” She reassured her daughter, bending down to kiss her forehead.

 

Suddenly, Emma’s eyes lit up. “Like a baby kangaroo in its pouch, mommy?”

 

The little girl’s question made the couple break into a fit of laughter. Emma had such an imagination and creativity at such young age! She was truly like her parents! “Yes, sweetheart, like a baby kangaroo.” Richard answered. “And now it’s time for your bath. Come on!” He picked up his daughter and held her very close to him as she shrieked to the contact with the still drying paint.

 

She watched with a smile as her husband carried their little princess away to the bathroom and she clutched Lucas closer to her chest. His warmth was so comforting! For her, there was nothing better than holding her children close... Maybe the knowledge that another child was currently growing inside her came in close second.

 

“Mommy, I’m hungry.” She glanced down at Lucas’s complaint, which made her chuckle. Her son had quite an appetite, a lot like his father. “Can I have toast?” He asked.

 

She stood up from the carpet and took the little boy to the kitchen, gently rocking him in her arms like she knew he loved. “Of course you can, my love.” She replied affectionately. “Anything you want.”


End file.
